Social Security recipients typically receive one payment per month, but some older Americans may receive an extra check in November because of the way the calendar falls into the last two months of the year.

While the issue isn’t new (the Social Security Administration sets its annual payment schedule well in advance of the year), it could surprise some seniors next month if they weren’t aware of the unusual schedule.

People who could receive an extra check in November are those who receive Social Security’s Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, a program for low-income disabled adults and seniors. Some of those SSI recipients also receive monthly Social Security benefits, the traditional retirement income available to people once they turn 62.

SSI recipients will receive an additional payment next month – and some may receive as many as three payments in November.

Here’s how that will work:

• SSI recipients will receive their November payment on Friday, November 1.
• People who filed for Social Security before May 1997 or who receive both Social Security and SSI payments also receive their Social Security benefits on November 1 (usually people who receive both receive their Social Security benefits on the third of the month, but because 3 If November falls on a Sunday, this payment will also be made on November 1).
• SSI recipients will also receive a second payment on Friday, November 29. This reflects their December payment, but because December 1 falls on a Sunday, their payment for the last month of 2024 will fall on November 29.

In other words, people receiving SSI will receive two payments in November: on November 1 and November 29. If they also receive Social Security, they will also receive that check on November 1 instead of November 3.

Meanwhile, all other Social Security recipients will receive their payments on the regular schedule, which provides benefits on the second, third or fourth Wednesday of the month, depending on a recipient’s date of birth.

The dates for pension payments in November are as follows:

• People born between the 1st and 10th of the month will get their Social Security check on November 13th.
• Those born between the 11th and the 20th of the month will receive their benefits on November 20.
• People born between the 21st and 31st of the month will receive their payment on November 27.

When does the Social Security COLA take effect?

Meanwhile, Social Security recipients will get a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment to their 2025 payments. the agency announced last week.

The average beneficiary will see their monthly check increase by about $50, to $1,976 per month.

That higher payment will kick in with their January benefits:

• People born between the 1st and 10th of their birth month will receive their first COLA increase on January 8.
• Those born between the 11th and 20th of their birth month will receive the COLA bump on January 15.
• Recipients born between the 21st and 31st of their birth month will receive the new COLA on January 22.

Meanwhile, people who started collecting Social Security before May 1997 or who receive both Social Security and SSI will get their new Social Security COLA on January 3.

People receiving SSI will receive their new COLA for 2025 with their payment due December 31, 2024.